Cuomo rejects applications for legislative pork-barrel grants

Albany, NY -- A proposal to fund a fraternal lodge's walk-in refrigerator was among the first 100 applications for legislative pork-barrel grants that were reviewed and accepted, refused or reworked by state Attorney General Andrew Cuomo, according to data reviewed Tuesday.

The refrigerator grant went on the reject pile as Cuomo applied the most scrutiny ever to the discretionary grants lawmakers prefer to call "member items."

Cuomo sought the extra review to make sure pork-barrel grants obtained by lawmakers for causes and groups in their home districts serve a true public purpose, rather than to curry voters' favor or help friends and allies.

None of the first 100 rulings on grant applications rejected or reworked to comply with regulations were called fraud by Cuomo.

In April, Cuomo questioned thousands of the grants that annually consume about $170 million in state funds, saying he would root out fraud and conflicts of interest. More of his office's final decisions on pork-barrel efforts this legislative election year will be rolled out in coming months, aides say.

* Rejecting a $5,000 grant to buy a walk-in refrigerator for a Massapequa Elks Lodge sought by Sen. Charles Fuschillo, a Long Island Republican. Cuomo rejected it because of "insufficient information."

* Rejecting a $10,000 grant to the Amistad Early Childhood Education Center for after-school programs sought by Assemblyman William Scarborough, a Queens Democrat. The application was rejected "due to a statutory or constitutional issue."

* Rejecting a $5,000 grant to the Immanuel Christian Child Care center for playground equipment and a pre-Kindergarten program sought by Sen. Catherine Young, an Olean Republican. It was rejected over statutory or constitutional issues.

* Rejecting a $1,000 grant to the Handicapped Adults Association sought by Assemblyman Michael Benedetto, a Bronx Democrat. It was rejected over an unspecified charity filing issue.

More than 40 other groups never submitted the data Cuomo required, including statements that no conflicts of interest exist between the group receiving the grant and the legislator providing it. In past years, some lawmakers were found to be sending public money to charitable groups that employed relatives.

* A $100,000 grant sought for recreation programs in the city of Geneva sought by Sen. Michael Nozzolio of Seneca Falls.

* A $28,112 grant sought for Together We Help Inc. to upgrade equipment and for "administrative and operating expenses." That was sought by more than a dozen Democratic Assembly members in and around New York City.

Still others, Cuomo initially rejected, but then worked with the applicant so it would qualify. Those grants include:

* A $50,000 grant to the Morrisville Auxiliary Corp., which appears related to the State University of New York at Morrisville College, to complete "integration of Nelson Farms and dairy incubator operations to a data management system." That grant sought by Assemblyman William Magee of Madison County was approved after the recipient provided unspecified data and made unspecified changes in the application.

"This is another important step in government transparency," said Cuomo spokesman John Milgrim. "The information that is being made available will assist New Yorkers in understanding how their government operates and how their tax dollars are spent."

Attempts to reach the lawmakers through their offices after regular business hours Tuesday weren't immediately successful.